


collateral damage in your personal drama

by MermaidMarie



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Gen, Good Sibling Kyan Reki, Platonic Relationships, Worried Miya, miya pretending not to care while caring very deeply, vaguely implied renga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29970945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidMarie/pseuds/MermaidMarie
Summary: Shadow had said to let them work it out themselves, but Miya didn’t have that kind of patience.-In which Miya goes to check on Reki.
Relationships: Chinen Miya & Kyan Reki
Comments: 8
Kudos: 198





	collateral damage in your personal drama

**Author's Note:**

> If Miya didn't listen to Shadow when he said to let Reki and Langa work it out for themselves.  
> I just love Miya & Reki's friendship. Reki really did see this kid and have his Older Brother Instinct kick in immediately.

Reki had been scarcer, avoidant, a little less animated. Even when he was showing up, he wasn’t skating as much. He didn’t even seem to want to. And then he finally just didn’t show at all, and Langa didn’t have an explanation.

And Reki wasn’t entering the tournament.

Something had happened. Obviously. It was impossible not to notice. Langa seemed more spacey without Reki there, too. Even less talkative than usual.

If things kept going like this, they were going to have to wholly rely on Shadow to carry the conversation, and Miya didn’t like the sound of that.

And, if Miya were totally and completely honest… He was just a little worried about Reki. He hadn’t seemed like himself, and now he wasn’t around. Langa didn’t know why, and Miya wasn’t sure if he knew how to figure it out.

Shadow had said to let them work it out themselves, but Miya didn’t have that kind of patience.

Besides. Reki was his friend, too.

He kept telling himself that as he hesitated outside of Reki’s house.

_He’s my friend, too. Not just Langa’s._

If Reki had been answering his text messages lately, this wouldn’t be that much of an issue. Miya would’ve at least asked before coming over if he could have. But Reki’s responses were few and far between.

Finally, Miya got himself to knock on the door.

There was a commotion from inside, like someone had knocked something over and then there was a fit of small giggles. After a few moments, a woman answered the door.

Reki’s mom, Miya assumed.

“Hi there,” she greeted with a smile. “Can I help you?”

“Um.” Miya shifted uncomfortably. “Is Reki here?”

“He sure is, you a friend of his?”

“Yeah. I’m, um, Miya Chinen?”

“Of course, come on in.” Reki’s mom was smiling warmly. Miya could see the family resemblance.

He hesitantly stepped inside, glancing around the place. It was crowded and busy, more cluttered than Miya was used to. Warmer than he was used to, too.

Miya had distantly known that Reki had siblings, but it was different seeing it in person.

Miya felt strange at seeing Reki’s sisters. Like he was intruding somewhere he didn’t belong. The older girl only gave him a passing, disinterested glance, but the little twins were staring at him like he was something of a novelty.

“Reki’s mentioned you,” Reki’s mom said, conversationally.

Miya blinked, looking up from the two little girls clinging to her legs. “He has?” he asked.

“Of course,” she replied with a bright, easy smile. “He says you’re a good kid. I hope he’s not too overbearing with you—it’s just that he worries, but really, he means well.”

Miya stared for a moment. That was unexpected, somehow—Miya hadn’t honestly given it all that much thought, but his first guess would’ve been that, if Reki had mentioned him at all, it would’ve been about his skating.

He wasn’t sure what to do with the implication that Reki worried about _him._

It was kind of nice. Weird, but nice.

“Reki, you have a visitor,” his mom called down the hallway.

Miya shifted on his feet, feeling distinctly out of place.

It took a few moments before Reki appeared. He looked different—his hair loose around his eyes, a plain gray hoodie replacing the typical color. There was something subdued about his demeanor.

He seemed tense, his hands shoved in his pockets, his eyes downcast. When he met Miya’s gaze, though, he seemed to relax.

He smiled. “Oh, hey, Miya!”

His tone was a lot more welcoming than Miya had feared. He hadn’t been completely sure what to expect, but he’d had a nervous pit in his stomach that Reki would look at him with that same flat, hostile gaze that his former friends had before he lost them.

“Sorry to just drop by like this,” Miya said. “It’s just… you weren’t answering your texts, so.”

Reki let out a slightly forced laugh, rubbing the back of his head and smiling brightly. “Sorry about that! I wasn’t ignoring you, I swear, my phone has just been off.”

He didn’t offer any explanation as to _why_ his phone had been turned off, though, and Miya frowned a little.

“Well, come on, make yourself at home,” Reki said, gesturing vaguely. “Did you need something, or…?”

“I was hoping we could talk?” Miya said, trying to not sound as shaky as he felt.

“Sure thing,” Reki replied. He glanced away, his smile faltering. “Wanna come out to the garage with me? There’s a board I was repairing for work.”

“Okay,” Miya replied.

Reki led him out to this small workshop, with scraps of wood everywhere. Reki stood over by the table, idly picking at the wheel of the board that was already there. He still seemed weird, unfocused. And a little like he was avoiding the conversation, because he was turned away from Miya, shoulders tensed up.

Miya waited, hoping Reki might say something first, because Reki usually did, but he stayed quiet.

“Is there something going on with you?” Miya decided to start with. Which was barely a real question, because of _course_ there was something going on, it was totally obvious.

“Nah, I’m all good, why?” Reki said, fast and insincere, shooting Miya a strained smile.

“Well, you weren’t at the tournament qualifiers the other night…” Miya started. Reki turned away quickly, drumming his fingers against the table restlessly. “…and you didn’t even enter it, so.”

“Mm, yeah, I just—y’know, had work.” Reki’s voice was stilted as he said it and he winced a little, like he could hear just how thin the excuse was.

“Right,” Miya said, in a flat, unimpressed tone.

Reki let out a soft laugh. “Yeah. Look, I just didn’t… The tournament’s not really my thing, you know?”

“Since when?” Miya replied.

“I’m just… not in the right mindset?” Reki tried again. He looked down at the board on the table. “Um. A lot of… geniuses and prodigies competing. I can’t keep up, it’s whatever.”

“Like Shadow’s that good,” Miya replied with a small scoff.

“Better than me,” Reki said, half murmuring it to himself. He shook his head, looking back up with a smile. “It’s not important.”

Miya doubted that, but he wasn’t sure whether to press the issue.

“Whatever, you don’t have to enter it if you don’t want to, I don’t care,” Miya said, even though he did. “But why aren’t you coming to watch anyway?”

“Uh…” Reki glanced towards the door.

“Did something happen between you and Langa?” Miya blurted out. He heard the slight whine in his own voice and crossed his arms over his chest, embarrassed. He didn’t exactly like revealing any kind of concern.

Reki’s gaze softened as he turned back to Miya.

“Miya,” he said, tone just slightly teasing, “are you worried about me?”

Miya scowled. “ _No._ I just, y’know, don’t wanna… It’s annoying, all the… weirdness.” He huffed a little, looking at the ground.

Reki reached over and ruffled Miya’s hair, and Miya leaned away, shooting another glare. Reki just laughed.

“Kid, it’s okay,” Reki said. “Look, Langa—” He cut off before he actually _explained_ anything, shaking his head. “It’s just not a big deal. _You_ definitely don’t have to worry about it, alright? It’s between me and Langa.”

“But…” Miya started to protest. He sighed, hunching over further. “But if you’re not hanging out with us anymore because of it, then it’s _not_ just between you and Langa,” he managed to mumble. “If you’re avoiding him, you’re avoiding the rest of us, too.”

Miya _didn’t_ say _you’re avoiding **me** too, _but he could hear the sound of it anyway. He looked at the ground, curling in on himself, feeling smaller, and a little pathetic. He’d been in the public eye long enough that he didn’t always _feel_ like a kid, but in that moment, he really, really did.

Reki sighed.

“I’m not trying to avoid anyone,” Reki said, his voice this tired kind of placating, like he didn’t want to explain himself.

Miya glared at the ground, Reki’s tone making him feel defensive. “I’m not stupid. Don’t talk to me like that.”

Reki flicked Miya’s arm, and Miya swatted him away.

“Don’t do _that_ either,” Miya muttered.

Reki let out a breath of laughter.

“I’m not avoiding you,” Reki amended. “I’m just avoiding S. And the tournament.”

“Shadow said you’re just scared to race Adam,” Miya tried.

He hoped that maybe that would spark that defensive, competitive pride he’d seen from Reki before. No such luck. Reki’s shoulders sagged and he rubbed the back of his neck, dropping his gaze to the ground.

“Yeah, well,” Reki said blandly.

Miya didn’t like seeing him like that. _Defeated._

“What if I race Adam?” Miya said suddenly.

Reki stilled. He looked back up, narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“In the tournament. I could go up against Adam at some point. What if that happens?” Miya crossed his arms, glaring up defiantly, happy to have found something that seemed to have struck a nerve with Reki.

“What about if you _don’t_ go up against Adam?” Reki said. He was straightening up a little, crossing his arms. “Maybe you _shouldn’t.”_

“But I might,” Miya said. “I can’t control how the tournament plays out. It could happen, I could end up against Adam.”

Reki’s jaw clenched, and he stared Miya down, something a little strange in his gaze. He didn’t say anything.

“If I end up racing against Adam,” Miya continued, “are you going to _be there_ or not?”

For a long moment, it was like they were having a staring contest.

Reki blinked first, letting out a huff and looking away.

“Shit,” he murmured, running a hand over his hair.

“You’re not answering the question,” Miya said, just a little snide and bratty about it. If Reki was going to be weird and avoidant, then Miya was going to be annoying, that was how this worked.

Reki rolled his eyes. He seemed to shake off the defensiveness that had tensed in his shoulders and he turned back to Miya. He raised an eyebrow. “Why, are you going to _want_ me to be there?” he replied, his tone slight smug.

Miya glowered. “I didn’t say that.”

“Just answer the _question,”_ Reki said, teasing. He messed up Miya’s hair again and poked him in the ribs. “C’mon, kid, just admit it.”

Miya squirmed away, shoving Reki’s arm. “I _guess,_ maybe, it’s _possible_ I want you to be there. Just like. Maybe. If you’re not so annoying. Just in case.”

Reki leaned back against the table, his face shifting into something serious. “In case of _what_ , Miya?” he said, in a knowing, pointed tone.

Miya frowned. “In case of… Y’know, because it’s Adam, so… In case—in case of what happened to you.”

Reki let out a slightly stifled sigh. “Listen. If it comes to it, if you end up in a beef against Adam… Do me a favor and just forfeit. Don’t get yourself hurt over this—it’s not worth it.”

There was an edge in his tone that reminded Miya of when Reki had challenged Adam the first time. When Adam had said those things to him, and Reki had gotten _mad_ and jumped to his defense like Miya wasn’t just some kid he barely even knew.

Reki had gotten himself hurt over that.

“Isn’t that a little hypocritical of you?” Miya said.

Reki shook his head immediately. “What I did was different. And, for the record, I _don’t_ regret it,” Reki said, his tone low and sincere. “But this is just some stupid tournament. What’s the point of going up against a guy like that just for the sake of winning a contest? You’re a good skater, but Adam’s dangerous. Miya, I’m telling you, just don’t do it.”

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t,” Miya said, airy and nonchalant, looking around the room like he didn’t care much. The genuine concern in Reki’s tone was a little too much for him to face head on. “I _could_ tell you I won’t do it, but who’s to say it won’t just slip my mind in the moment?”

“Miya—” Reki started, a level of sternness in his tone that made Miya smirk.

Miya met Reki’s gaze, pointed and self-satisfied. “I guess you’ll just have to be there to make sure I don’t forget.”

“You’re such a brat,” Reki said with a glare.

Miya just kept smiling. “Well? What’s it gonna be, then?”

Reki dragged a hand down his face, groaning into a little.

“I guess I’ll be at the tournament,” Reki said, with a roll of his eyes and a tired glare. “Like you’re giving me a choice.”

“Great, I’ll see you there,” Miya said, lacing faux-politeness into his tone to irritate Reki more. “You should probably talk to Langa to make things less awkward, then.”

Reki scowled, but it was half-hearted. “Mind your business.”

“Unfortunately, the two of you are annoying enough that it _is_ my business,” Miya replied.

Reki flicked him in the arm. Miya flicked him back.

“Langa and I will be fine. You don’t have to worry about us,” Reki said, back to that too-sincere tone. “It’s not your job to try and fix it.”

“Well, then, it’s _your_ job to fix it,” Miya retorted. “Because Langa’s been just as annoying as you, moping when you’re not there.”

Reki rolled his eyes. “Come on, he doesn’t do that.”

“He does. And you need to talk to him, because he won’t listen to anyone else.”

“Alright, okay, I will,” Reki replied. He put a hand on Miya’s head, smiling at him.

“Good,” Miya said, crossing his arms.

“Feel better?” Reki asked. Between teasing and sincere.

“Shut up.”

Reki laughed. He ruffled Miya’s hair again before pulling his hand away. “Well, you wanna stick around? Help me repair some boards?”

Miya did feel better at that, a small clutch of relief in his chest.

“Fine,” he said, carelessly.

Reki smiled. Miya was pretty sure that he didn’t buy the tone.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You can find me on tumblr at official-mermaid, if you like.


End file.
